Here is where the political assumptions of the neo-conservative movement really bite us.

You see, these are intellectuals. These are deep, interesting, long books. Books.

It's the basic anti-intellectualism of the right-wing (except when it's their own, paid-for intellectuals) that keeps us blind.

Americans are being taught by their political, religious, and "media" leaders not to read, not to think, to just listen -- to them.

How we "break through" that shield of willful, bitter ignorance is at the heart of our struggle for the next year.